Santeetlah Dam
Encyclopedia
Santeetlah Dam is a hydroelectric development on the Cheoah River
(river mile
9) in Graham County
, North Carolina
. The dam
together with a pipeline/tunnel facility, and a powerhouse form the Santeetlah Development. The Santeetlah powerhouse is located on the left bank of the Cheoah Reservoir portion of the Little Tennessee River
five miles (8 km) upstream of the Cheoah Dam
.
The Santeetlah Project, which began in 1925, was completed in 1928 by the Tallassee Power Company (now Tapoco
).
The Santeetlah Dam forms the Santeetlah Reservoir
, which covers approximately 2881 acres (11.7 km²), normal full pool area, with a drainage area of 176 square miles (455.8 km²) and stretches to Robbinsville, North Carolina
. The elevation of Santeetlah Reservoir is 1940.9 feet (591.6 m) according to the USGS.
The Santeetlah and Cheoah developments have practically flooded the Cheoah River
. Water from Santeetlah is piped to the Rhymer's Ferry generating facility on Cheoah Lake, with any water flowing below the dam coming from downstream tributaries or reservoir overflow.
The facility is owned and operated by Tapoco
. TVA
maintains limited control over lake levels, as the output from Lake Santeetlah flows into TVA's Fontana Dam
project just below Cheoah Dam
at Tapoco.
Cheoah River
The Cheoah River is a tributary of the Little Tennessee River in North Carolina in the United States.It is located in Graham County in far western North Carolina, near Robbinsville, and is approximately 20 miles in length...
(river mile
River mile
In the United States, a River mile is a measure of distance in miles along a river from its mouth. River mile numbers begin at zero and increase further upstream. The corresponding metric unit using kilometers is the River kilometer...
9) in Graham County
Graham County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 7,993 people, 3,354 households, and 2,411 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile . There were 5,084 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. The dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
together with a pipeline/tunnel facility, and a powerhouse form the Santeetlah Development. The Santeetlah powerhouse is located on the left bank of the Cheoah Reservoir portion of the Little Tennessee River
Little Tennessee River
The Little Tennessee River is a tributary of the Tennessee River, approximately 135 miles long, in the Appalachian Mountains in the southeastern United States.-Geography:...
five miles (8 km) upstream of the Cheoah Dam
Cheoah Dam
The Cheoah Dam is a hydroelectric complex located in Graham and Swain counties, North Carolina on the Little Tennessee River between river miles 51 and 52. The Cheoah Development consists of a dam and powerhouse, the first of several constructed by the Tallassee Power Company, now Tapoco...
.
The Santeetlah Project, which began in 1925, was completed in 1928 by the Tallassee Power Company (now Tapoco
Tapoco
Tapoco, originally Tallassee Power Company, is a generator and supplier of electric power. Tapoco is a division of APGI which in turn is owned by ALCOA Inc. The Tapoco Project serves to generate and supply hydroelectric power to ALCOA’s Tennessee Operations, an aluminum smelting and rolling mill...
).
The Santeetlah Dam forms the Santeetlah Reservoir
Lake Santeetlah
Lake Santeetlah, part of the Tennessee River watershed, was created in 1928 when Alcoa dammed the Cheoah River as a means of generating hydroelectric power in Graham County, North Carolina. The reservoir is largely surrounded by the Cheoah District of the Nantahala National Forest...
, which covers approximately 2881 acres (11.7 km²), normal full pool area, with a drainage area of 176 square miles (455.8 km²) and stretches to Robbinsville, North Carolina
Robbinsville, North Carolina
Robbinsville is a town in Graham County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 747 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Graham County. Robbinsville High School is the only high school in Graham County...
. The elevation of Santeetlah Reservoir is 1940.9 feet (591.6 m) according to the USGS.
The Santeetlah and Cheoah developments have practically flooded the Cheoah River
Cheoah River
The Cheoah River is a tributary of the Little Tennessee River in North Carolina in the United States.It is located in Graham County in far western North Carolina, near Robbinsville, and is approximately 20 miles in length...
. Water from Santeetlah is piped to the Rhymer's Ferry generating facility on Cheoah Lake, with any water flowing below the dam coming from downstream tributaries or reservoir overflow.
The facility is owned and operated by Tapoco
Tapoco
Tapoco, originally Tallassee Power Company, is a generator and supplier of electric power. Tapoco is a division of APGI which in turn is owned by ALCOA Inc. The Tapoco Project serves to generate and supply hydroelectric power to ALCOA’s Tennessee Operations, an aluminum smelting and rolling mill...
. TVA
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...
maintains limited control over lake levels, as the output from Lake Santeetlah flows into TVA's Fontana Dam
Fontana Dam
Fontana Dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Little Tennessee River in Swain and Graham counties, North Carolina, USA. The dam is operated by the Tennessee Valley Authority, which built the dam in the early 1940s to accommodate the skyrocketing electricity demands in the Tennessee Valley at the...
project just below Cheoah Dam
Cheoah Dam
The Cheoah Dam is a hydroelectric complex located in Graham and Swain counties, North Carolina on the Little Tennessee River between river miles 51 and 52. The Cheoah Development consists of a dam and powerhouse, the first of several constructed by the Tallassee Power Company, now Tapoco...
at Tapoco.